Home Care Instructions
CABG does not cure the underlying disease, only creates an alternate pathway for the diseased arteries. When you leave the hospital, talk to your doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and dietitians about all the do and don'ts'.
On your discharge, you might have mixed feelings about leaving the hospital. Although you maybe anxious leaving the security of immediate medical care but you may at the same time be relieved thinking about your home and wanting to be back with relatives and friends. Complete recovery from surgery is a gradual process and you should take it one day at a time. These are some of the do's and don'ts -
- Wear comfortable clothes at all times.
- Take periodic walks and slowly increase the duration of exercise.
- Follow the diet prescribed by your dietician.
- Do not fail to take all your medications on time.
- Quit smoking.
- Participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program if possible.
- Maintain caution to avoid any bump or direct injury to your chest. Your scar might take one to two months to heal completely.
- Control your anger and stress.
- Follow up with your doctor(s) as instructed.
Some itching, numbness or redness in the incision site may be a normal process of healing. Contact the doctor immediately if there is a sign of infection (fever, pus or gaping of wound etc.).
